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+--- Thread: So I want to RP a Villain... (/showthread.php?tid=8735)
So I want to RP a Villain... - Tiergan - 10-22-2014
Anyone have advice on how to go about it? The character I have is a Duskwight elezen who is a Dravanian Heretic. He and his brother started off falsely accused before simply deciding to make the accusations of heresy a reality out of bitter spite and accepting the label.
I know for the most part that a villain is really just the same as any other character, just with a different set of goals and motivations, but I still am having trouble sorting out how to engage people with a character who is inherently kind of antagonistic. Do I just... do the same thing I do with my not-villain characters? Am I over-thinking stuff?
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Boo the Hamster - 10-22-2014
The best villains are those who you think are your best friend.
In essence, act like a good character. Be subtle about being evil. An intelligent villain is one who doesn't show their full hand until their plan is already in motion, when there's no reason to hide it anymore. Just because you're evil doesn't mean you can't be nice to have tools that are useful.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Tiergan - 10-22-2014
I do definitely want a relatable villain as opposed to a twirly mustache villain that's a jerk for the sake of being evil, so that sounds nifty to me.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Marisa - 10-22-2014
OH. MY. GOD!
I'm an Ishgardian witch hunter! You could be my nemesis! We could have a never-ending game of cat and mouse where you always get away like the honorless fiend you are >:o
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Tiergan - 10-23-2014
You'll never get me, Captain Planet!
(In all seriousness, that sounds awesome. :V)
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Boo the Hamster - 10-23-2014
What's funny is that was what my character was going to be like before, well, everything happened in RP.
Still, be careful with the heretic route. There will be a time where eventually you /will/ end up as the raving mad Harrier, or eventually turn into an Aevis yourself. At least, if you go down that path, that's what I think should happen, but who's to say if you involve the Echo or what not.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Dasair - 10-23-2014
So I will start off saying I absolutely love morally ambiguous characters, not because they're necessarily good people, or even anyone I'd ever want to meet, but merely because I am a fan of grey-scale over black-and-white dichotomy. Â I've played a number of villains and morally grey characters, and had a fair amount of fun with it, mostly because seeing them grow, and seeing how they cause others to grow, is really fascinating. Â
That said, here are my opinions on more questionable characters, that you can take or ignore if you'd like. :> Â Â
First of all, if you want to play a villain, make sure he's got reasons for his more questionable acts. Â You mentioned spite in there, but spite (as well as most things that gets people into moral quandaries) typically comes out of someone believing that what they're doing is somehow justified, or with a purpose. Â In that sense, I agree with the "don't just go with 'evil for evil's sake' " idea, as was previously mentioned. Â Instead, work out what led him to where he is further (like what you said with the accusations), and have an idea of what he's thinking when he does the things he does. Â What is his actual faith like? Â What is he trying to prove, and how is he going to do it? Â Does he see everyone as judging him now? Â Are there exceptions? Â Does he see himself as someone acting out and truly wanting to be treated like a person (knowing what he's doing is bad, but thinks what others are doing is worse), or someone detaching themselves so far from reality to instead embody an idea they think everyone (or even a select few) need to bear witness to in order to 'learn something'? Â I think answering those last few questions for him will help with how you might think of approaching other characters with him. Â
Antagonistic characters are my favorites; they're the ones that 'set the spark' more often than not, I don't doubt you'll be able to pull off something fun and interesting both. Â :>
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Verranicus - 10-23-2014
You don't even need to label yourself as a villain. My character could more or less fit into the 'good guy' archetype, except he's got such hatred for Ishgardians due to past events that he'd gladly see every one of them dead and their cities burnt to the ground (and he may or may not be plotting some domestic terrorism towards those ends).
That said, only one person knows about his feelings towards Ishgard and everyone else he's encountered would be hard pressed to think of him as anything more than a somewhat abrasive know-it-all. To the outside world he's no different from any other adventurer, even though behind the scenes he may be working towards more nefarious ends.
And even then the act would be completely justified in his (possibly damaged) mind, so he doesn't see himself as a villain at all.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Verad - 10-23-2014
Come up with plans that require other people getting hurt.
Find people who want to get hurt. RP that to further your plans.
It doesn't really have to be justifiable in some form; RPers are eager to justify your bad behavior for you. Even a very flimsy excuse will be sufficient to get RPers defending your right to eat puppies as a necessary evil being done for the greater good.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Tiergan - 10-23-2014
(10-23-2014, 12:29 AM)Boo the Hamster Wrote: What's funny is that was what my character was going to be like before, well, everything happened in RP.
Still, be careful with the heretic route. There will be a time where eventually you /will/ end up as the raving mad Harrier, or eventually turn into an Aevis yourself. At least, if you go down that path, that's what I think should happen, but who's to say if you involve the Echo or what not.
Is there any lore info on heretics? Do they ALL go raving bonkers or only some of them? The guy in the MSQ seemed fairly lucid and only turned into a dragon when cornered.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Titor - 10-23-2014
Titor usually ends up getting hurt a lot since he is kind of sickly and scrawny. His entire value comes out of his knowledge of geometries and the aether, but if you prevent him from using his book and drawing geometries he has like no other way to defend himself short of flailing the best he can.
I would probably volunteer him to get hurt again if you/someone else wants to develop their character more into the evil/bad-guy/villain type. Just PM me first and we can probably work something out.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Gaspard - 10-23-2014
Villainy is a story-telling concept. The 'bad guy' in every story is but the person people must feel animosity towards, as he's who the hero must overcome. It's a simple concept that has been used also in politics to a great deal. 'We the heroes, must liberate this villainy infested nation'.
In roleplay-terms, there's usually two ways to go about villainy. Subscribe your character to one of the, as 'evil' established agendas in the game/story (In Star wars, that'd be becoming a 'Sith',) In Final fantasy it may be serving the Garleans, or any other antagonistic faction/group you can find.
Or, take the second route, and establish your character as a 'villain' towards a group of 'heroes'. Find a group of goodie-two-shoes looking for a villain.
Overall however, I don't..suggest creating a character just because you want that 'Villain' vybe. I've been playing, throughout the majority of my roleplay career only non-hero characters. Antagonists, side characters, neutral characters, straighout villains and anti-heroes. Usually, Heroes are the noble, strong figures that subscribe to 'taking the high road' of love, compassion, and whatever pop-culture values currently are upheld. The moment you subscribe yourself to a 'good' cause, while still adhering to a moral code in your actions (do not kill, do not torture is an example), you have a fledged hero at your hand.
Playing a villain simply means substracting one of those points. A Hero without a good cause is a side character. He can't 'take the spotlight' of heroism, because he has nothing to fight for. He has morals, so he will 'protect', but he wont be in a spotlight, as he's not yet subscribed to a greater cause.
Take from him Morals, but keep the cause, and you've got yourself your anti-hero. Willing to ignore moral standards to get the job done. Ends justify means etc.
Take both, and you've got someone focused solely on his own, individualistic gain. No morals to tell him 'you must be good to others', no cause to make him do good things for others, in the end means he'll be an egoistical civilian at best, or full blown megalomaniac at worst.
Anyway.. this is a very roughl set of examples, not really good either. If you really want to, perhaps jumpstart a few ideas, I suggest tvtropes.org. While it's written at most in a comedical light, alot of the tropes simply exist and can help you steer your character in the direction you want to.
As a footnote, I'd like to add that, outside of fiction, true Villainy and Heroism seldom exist. A good example is Genghis Khan. The whole world all-around considers him one of the most brutal, vile warlords of his age, with women having plunged themselves off the cliffs of their village rather then suffer what his men would do to them when they'd reach their village. One of his most famous lines was 'I am gods wrath. If you would not have sinned, god would have not sent a punishment like me upon you'. Though I might be paraphrasing it.
At the same time, he's seen as a folklore hero in Mongolia, as his conquering established the silk road connections, and he was also known as perhaps one of the first 'religiously open' historical figures. He allowed anyone to follow whatever religion they chose to, aslong they didn't dare tread upon mongolian faith.
Same person, same acts, two entirely different ways to view him.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Avalt Laguz - 10-23-2014
For reference;
[youtube]V9xLoTXC5fk[/youtube]
[youtube]LMi2Il6iRks[/youtube]
and also
[youtube]VAGhKlhtJ-g[/youtube]
TL;DR - Get Danny Delk to voice your character.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Warren Castille - 10-23-2014
The only trap I'd watch out for is the social one. As soon as your character commits to villainy and it becomes known, you're (likely) going to lose access to the social hubs attached to it. For example, if you end up gutting someone in Gridania, you're likely not going to be hanging out in the city and continuing to RP.
There was a thread a while back about how villains need a neutral, lawless-ish territory to hang out in. I agree. It pains me to see people who play open, antagonistic forces hanging out in the Quicksand like nothing's happening and they're untouchable. Not only is it offensive to the folks playing lawmen and women (*cough*) but it's just silly considering it's right down the street from the Flames' offices.
RE: So I want to RP a Villain... - Gaspard - 10-23-2014
Well, there could be an argument made that Law enforcers have absolutely no place in Bars during duty, especially Sultansworn, and that the Ingame mapping of Eorzea isn't truly fit to emulate a 'real city', given it's small size. The Flames office might very well be half a district away from the Quicksand, if not for the ingame limitations of depicting a city-fortress.
At the same time however  I agree with the Open, antagonistic forces bit. In almost 'every' story, your typical antagonist/villain is forced to secrecy in public in regards to his doings, and once this secrecy is blown, they're forced into obscurity and out of the public view. There's a reason Villains in stories take to alter-egos and masks, simply because without them, with their true identity exposed, their villainy in broad-daylight, they would draw the vengeance of the morally sound characters in a heartbeat.